Of The Vanishing Kind
by Samyo
Summary: They were running, running away from Gray. They called for help, but the League never came. Completed. Please read and reveiw!
1. Running

Title: Of the Vanishing Kind

Author: Samyo

Rating: R

Disclaimer: I own nothing, don't sue.

* * *

We're running down an alley, running, running.

They're closing in, I can see them, but I can't.

He has a chance, if he would just go invisible.

I can feel the venom pulsing through my veins, its filling up my lungs.

No, I can't have an attack now.

I scream at him to go invisible and leave me here, he won't.

Joe has been shot already, maybe Tom, maybe they're both dead. I can't lose Rodney, I won't.

"I won't let that bastard hurt you again."

I'm crying, pleading with him.

"Rodney, I can't lose you, too. I love you too much...."

I stop, sensing that he is looking the other way, men suddenly appear at every corner.

We're trapped, I plead with him again.

"Rodney, please go, you have a chance."

He grabs me and holds me tight. His duster smells like a coat my papa once had.

I'm scared, I grab his duster so tight my knuckles turn white.

"Alex, it would be something if the league turned up right now."

I can't laugh, I'm shaking. I'm having trouble breathing.

This is my fault. I should have gone to Alexandria instead of Paris, I should have left when I met Dorian.

Rodney holds me tighter, we know what is to come.

"Love, hold on no matter what, I love you too much to lose you."

I bury my face into his leather coat.

We hear the voice, God help us.

* * *

Sawyer was running, that is all he knew. Joe was still back there, laying hopelessly in his own blood. He didn't know what happened to Alex and Skinner, only that she screamed.

His lungs were burning from the stress, his eyes stinged from tears. He had to keep running, his mind told him so.

He was alone, for the first time in years. The league had ignored his calls for help, Joe was dying. Joe was his last link to St. Petersburg, Missouri, his only reason for going back.

His lungs were on fire, he turned a corner, a hand grabbed him from behind.

* * *

Please review.


	2. From Hell

Shout Outs:

SawyerFan, I love your story, update already!

To let confused readers know, I will probably be making a prequel or extra chapters to explain the character of Alejandra.

* * *

"Well, well, Mr. Skinner, the so-called gentlemen thief. Still invisible, I see."

I hate him, I wish he was dead.

"Go burn in hell, Gray."

Dorian laughs, I can't look.

"I have already, Mr. Skinner."

Dorian's eyes are so cold, so empty. I sense the anger brewing in Rodney.

"So, my dearest Alejandra, you leave me for this. An invisible thief, I thought your taste was better than that."

The men are getting closer to us.

"You imprisoned her."

I wish I could burn every part of my body that he touched.

"What exactly, Mr. Skinner, makes you think she could love a low life like you?"

Ignore him, don't listen to him. I love you; you're the only one I love.

"And since when did you have morals?"

Dorian is laughing again, I wished he would die. A man in cape and tux is approaching.

"Jealous, are we, that I can touch her and you can't, that I felt her warmth and you never will."

Stop it, stop it, stop it.

"Mr. Skinner, let me have her and maybe I'll let your pathetic existence continue."

Rodney looks at me. Please go, I can't see you die.

Rodney whispers something in my ear.

"I love you, don't let go."

* * *

"Let...go...of...me," screamed Sawyer. His captor had him pinned against a wall, Sawyer was trapped.

"Where are the others that you're with?" yelled the man.

"You're with Gray." The man banged Sawyer against the wall.

"Where are they?"

Blood filled Sawyer's mouth, his lip had busted open. He didn't know who the man was, only that the man could kill him with his bare hands. Joe was dying, he had nothing to lose.

"Joe's still back there, he's hurt pretty bad." Sawyer prayed the man wasn't with Gray, that he could help.

The man let go and revealed his revolver.

"I know people who can help your friend."

* * *

Please review.


	3. A Gun Shot in the Distance

Shout outs:

Sawyer Fan: I do the happy jig.

MishaRain27: It isn't my fault I do my homework at home and that I have to have a resource pass to go to the IMC.

Just say it, and I'll do extra chapters explaining a character.

* * *

Someone is cocking a gun, I can feel the bullet moving through the chamber. It's coming toward us.

I hear the awaited bang, Rodney hunches forward but regains balance. I scream loudly, I'm trying to support him.

"I imagine that must hurt like hell, Mr. Skinner, considering they're packed with salt. Consider it a warning shot, let me have her."

The invisible blood is turning visible.

I hear two shots, Rodney lets go of me. Two men grab me, I'm pinned against a hard brick wall, Rodney being pinned to the wall across the alley.

It's getting harder to breathe.

"Alejandra, you certainly live up to your name."

I hope the bastard burns in hell for this.

"Get the fuck away from her." Two men start beating Rodney up, I hear bones cracking.

Dorian is in front of me, his hand is on my face. He forces me to kiss me, I bite his lip till it bleeds. It heals, he shows an evil grin.

Rodney is fighting harder to get away.

Dorian places that hand over my mouth, his other going up my skirt. I feel the hardness growing, I can't look.

I'm back in the Five Points, or somewhere in New York. I'm a whore again, with a customer. I fake the moans, I want to cry, but I need the money.

* * *

They thought they heard a distant bang, Sawyer wanted to go towards it.

"Skinner and Alex could be in trouble."

"From what I've been told, Mr. Skinner can easily get out of trouble, as for Alex, I hope she can do the same." This confused Sawyer, how did he know about Skinner?

"How did you know about Skinner?"

"The people who can help you told me."

They arrived at the place where the nightmare began, neither one could tell if Joe was still alive.

* * *

Please review.


	4. Return of Jack

* * *

Shout outs:

MishaRain27: You decided to read them; it was an act of your free will.

I know on page one the story is PG-13, but for content it has been upgraded to R.

* * *

Dorion throws me to the ground; I'm kicking and screaming, I wish this nightmare would end and that Rodney never saw it.

The caped man is a few feet away, visibly carrying a surgical kit.

Rodney tries to get up, but they just pin him to the ground.

Oh God, the caped man is pulling out knives.

I start begging, pleading with Dorion to stop.

The knives are long and sharp; they seem like ones Bill the Butcher used.

The caped man is leaning over Rodney; He's holding the biggest knife.

"Anything particular you want, Mr. Gray?"

"Anything that's painful, Jack."

Rodney fights violently, it isn't enough.

The knife is thrust through him, sending shockwaves through his body.

"1, 2...," I count in my head.

"3, 4...," it's broken a rib.

"5..."

"Stop it, please, just stop it," I sob.

Jack suddenly stops; Rodney's body is shaking from shock.

"Want me to do the girl, too?"

Dorion touches me again, I spit in his face.

"You wicked tease..."

"Don't," Rodney yells. Dorion reveals a golden gun and shoots him.

This isn't happening.

An armored figure approaches, he's panting heavily.

"The league is here, someone spotted the Nemomoblie."

Dorion has a wicked smile on his ugly face, he turns to me.

"Since Ms. McLaughlin thinks that I'm not suitable for her, obviously no one is."

Jack comes toward me with the knife; it's still drenched in Rodney's blood.

I try to get away, I can't.

My breathing is short and shallow, I feel like I'm breathing underwater.

I feel the knife, the pain, I'm screaming bloody murder.

* * *

"Joe, Joe talk to me," screamed Sawyer as he tried to shake life back into the apparent corpse. If he was alive, it was barely.

"He's lost a lot of blood," the man said, "grab his other arm; we need to get him to help."

By miracle, Joe regained consciousness; he barely remembered what had happened.

"Did I...get...shot?

"Sure did, you scared the living hell out of me, don't do that again, you hear." Joe tried to respond, but a bubble of blood came up instead.

"We need to move now." The man and Sawyer got as far as the street corner before they were able to call a hansom that was able to take them.

"Where's...Alex and...Skinner?" Joe was now drifting between this world and the next.

Sawyer didn't want to alarm his fatally injured friend.

"Safe."

* * *

Please reveiw.


	5. Stabbed

Shout outs:

Artemis Gray: Thank you! I read the book, but I was still confused on how to spell it. I know it's strange, but I'm a rather strange individual.

As I said before, I can always make extra chapters to explain characters.

* * *

"1, 2..."

I'm with Rodney under the tree.

"3, 4..."

I see myself in the mirror, wearing the blood jewels.

"5, 6..."

I'm playing tag with Daniel.

"7, 8..."

I'm in the snake pit with Mama, she's trying to tell me something; I can't hear her.

"9, 10..."

I'm in Dorian's room.

Jack stops, I'm drenched in blood. It hurts so much, I can barely move.

The world is spinning. I see Papa at the end of the alley, I call, but he won't come.

One of the men props me against a wall, I can't stay awake.

"Alejandra, tell me what I want, and maybe I'll spare his pathetic existence."

No.

The man who propped me against the wall holds a pistol to Rodney's head.

I have to save him, I can't lose him.

"If you really loved me, you wouldn't do this."

I feel him putting a knife to my throat.

"Hell has that effect on people."

I feel the skin breaking, the blood flowing, everything goes black.

* * *

Sawyer finally had his chance, his chance to find out who the man was.

"Who are you, who's going to help us?"

"Name's John, John Erway, one of the most prized explorers of the Australian Outback." The man smiled, as if he was recalling a good memory. "For ya other question, the league."

Sawyer almost fainted; the league had come?

"For months I've been trying to contact them, I thought they were ignoring me.

"God no, Jesus, is that what you think? That bastard Dorian had been blocking your communications, one finally got through a few days ago, and they came as fast as they could."

Sawyer was still in disbelief.

"They came as soon as they could?"

"Of course they did, you needed help, and if memory serves me right, they don't particularly like this Dorian Gray guy."

"How did you know about the league?"

"I've been riding with them for a few months, so to speak; pretty nice group. They even told me about your series of unfortunate events."

Sawyer's blood went stone cold, all of the pain rushed back. Becky, treason, this.

"Are they mad, I mean, do they think I'm still a traitor?"

"No, they're glad you're still alive."

The hansom finally arrived at its location, an inn on the outskirts of Paris. Dr. Jekyll and another man called Phileas Fogg came rushing to the hansome. The four men removed Joe from the carriage.

"Where's Skinner?"

"Skinner and the girl, Alex I think, might of fled."

"Another person was involved?"

Fogg finally spoke.

"We checked all ports and stations; no one like Mr. Skinner has left the city.

Sawyer stared at John.

"Do you remember the gunshot?"

They ran to catch the hansom.

* * *

Please review. Thanks again, Artemis Gray.


	6. Between Worlds

Shout outs:

Artemis Gray: Thank you for the name and the spelling. I haven't been able to see the movie yet, and I'm too lazy to read the book. Seriously, I read Jules Verne's Journey to the Center of the Earth, I couldn't even finish it. I was only able to read 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea because a lot of the boring scientific explanations (the editor said this, not me) were edited out.

Next homeroom, I'll try to write extra chapters to explain confusing parts, especially bout Alejandra and how Tom got to where he is.

* * *

It's a strange feeling, I don't know whether I'm dead or alive.

I don't feel pain, yet I sense its presence.

I'm in a bedroom, it's looking over a sea; its peaceful.

The sheets of the bed are of the color cream, my dress is the color of blood red.

I see myself in a vanity mirror; I have no scars, no signs of sickness.

I hear footsteps, I turn around and see a visible Rodney in the doorway.

His hair is a shade of brown, his eyes are a deep blue. His shirt his partially unbuttoned.

He walks toward me, I think the unthinkable.

I want to kiss him, but will it kill him? I might be dead, or maybe I am cured.

Our lips meet, he gently puts me on the bed.

* * *

"Skinner? Alex?"

Sawyer and John had no clue where the two were, no starting point, no hope.

"This is like trying to find a needle in a haystack." Sawyer was frantic, this was all his fault. From day one, he should have never let Skinner follow him.

"Sawyer, we're gonna need more help than this; Paris is a vast city, they culd be anywhere."

This threw Sawyer into more desperation, more flashbacks.

* * *

It was raining, he and Huck were in New Orleans, chasing the Fantom. He was running fast, Huck was right in front of him.

"Tom, you tired yet?"

Tom grinned, though Huck couldn't see it. "No, chasing scum isn't exactly what I'd call tiresome."

"Alejandra said he was leaving tonight, heading for..."

A shot boomed through the air, Huck stopped.

"Huck, are you..."

Huck collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood surrounded him. He was dead.

* * *

"Sawyer, get some help, now!" Sawyer was startled by John's sudden outburst.

"Why....." Tom stopped, horrified by what laid in front of him, two bodies drenched in blood.

Skinner was moving around, visible only by clothing and by blood. Alejandra was on the ground, her throat was cut.

* * *

Please review.


	7. The Start of Tom's Shadows

Hopefully the story is getting more clear, though hopefully the flashbacks won't make it more confusing.

* * *

"Sawyer...we couldn't...get...away," Skinner gasped. Sawyer was kneeling over him, staring at the blood coming from nowhere.

* * *

It was a warm summer day in St. Petersburg, Missouri. The air was humid, mosquitoes were the plague. Becky Thatcher was on her porch, rocking in rocking chair in silence.

"I miss him, Tom, I miss what we had."

Sawyer was silent for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me, what was going on between you two?"

Becky stared at the Ozarks in the distance. "Cuz we reckoned you'd be jealous, or at least, he thought you would."

"Becky, you know if I could change what happened..."

"But you can't." A tear began to fall down her cheek. "It was either gonna be you or him that fell, he loved you like a brother. I don't know, maybe it was just the way the Lord..."

"Stop it, by God, Becky!" In anger, he pounded his fist into the porch.

"You stop it, Tom Sawyer; you're not the only one suffering. I was suppose to marry him, but here I am, already something like a widow at twenty."

The trees wavered in the breeze.

"I'm sorry, Tom. I know it's been tough, losing Huck and Alan, but please; you got to think they died for a reason."

"Don't be sorry, I've been the one acting like a jackass here. In a way, if it weren't for Huck..."

"Now you just stop that, Tom, and put a smile on your angel face. Besides, you're now traveling the world like you always did, and don't you dare say you did already with the air balloon."

"Egypt is only a small part of the world."

* * *

"Alex...they cut...her throat."

"John's helping her, everything gonna be alright." Sawyer was lost, he didn't know what to do or say.

John wrapped his overcoat around Alejandra's limp body; it was like she was a rag doll. He tried to pick her up, but a jolt like lightning went through her body. A pool of blood coming from her mouth followed.

"Tom, she's alive; we need to move them now."

Sawyer struggled to get Skinner to his feet; he carried him at Mongolia, he could do it again.

"They shot me, Sawyer...I couldn't hold on."

"Skinner, you gotta stay with me; I can't carry you much longer."

Sawyer's shirt was now completely covered in blood; he stopped as he heard the familiar engine of the Nemomoblie around the corner. Jekyll and Fogg jumped out, one of Nemo's crew was driving.

"Who's with Joe..." Sawyer stopped, for their faces said all.

"The wound was fatal; all we could was make him comfortable." Jekyll showed signs of guilt, for he thought he could have done more.

John broke the silence, returning attention to the current situation.

"Christ, have you ever seen anything like this before? You think she would be dead by now." He revealed Alejandra's apparent slit throat.

"God..." Jekyll had never seen anything like this before; he couldn't believe that she could still breathe.

* * *

Please review.


	8. Not Right

Hopefully you can understand it better, though I know it is still weird. Me and my friend are being gumbys for Halloween, as in the gumbys from Monty Python's Flying Circus.LOL.

* * *

I have a white dress on; Rodney is lying next to me.

For some reason, I put my head on his chest' I sense every breath and heartbeat.

He strokes my hair and holds me tight.

Something isn't right.

His heartbeat and breathing have long spaces in between, he stops stroking my hair.

I look up to see what's wrong; my dress is drenched in blood.

Sawyer was sitting on a chair outside the make-shift infirmary at the inn. He knew what was to come: an explanation of what had been going on. Mina was on her way by carriage, Nemo was organizing transport to the Nautilus.

"It's just a dream, I'm still in Missouri, I'm having a bad dream," he screamed in his mind, this was too much. Joe was dead, another childhood friend down. It was his fault, just like Huck and Becky's deaths.

* * *

Sawyer remembered that night like it was a nightmare; it was.

The rain was coming down hard, he was running save Becky.

Parts of Moriarty's crime ring, or what was left of it, were going after those close to the league. Skinner's half-sister was brutally murdered, along with her two children; one of Mina's old friends had nearly escaped a painful death.

"I can't let her die, not like Huck. '

As soon as he arrived at her porch, he found her body; raped and stabbed. Blood and water rolled down the stairs like waterfalls.

* * *

"Sawyer, we need you," shouted Jekyll from an operating table. Skinner was violently thrashing about, screaming that he was on fire.

"Please, give me some water; my skin is coming off." He became ever more violent.

"Skinner, nothing is on fire." Skinner wasn't crazy, Sawyer knew this, but something could be causing this.

"Sawyer, put this over his mouth and nose," Jekyll handed him a rag soaked in opium, "I don't have time for this, I have to operate on the girl."

"Her name is Alex." Jekyll showed no signs of hearing this, Sawyer walked out of the room, depressed and defeated.

* * *

Across the hall, the league's newest member, Phileas Fogg, was working on an invention that would allow Jekyll to see Skinner while operating.

"It will be like a scope," he thought to himself, "but this must make the invisible visible."

Anything would be helpful now.

* * *

Please review. If anyone is able, does anyone know a Native American or Romanian name that translates to "of the vanishing kind?" If not, could you give me one that sounds cool. Thanks, and reviews are extremely helpful.


	9. Why I'm Still Alive

Shout outs:

Artemis Gray: Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

* * *

My eyes fly open, where the hell am I?

It hurts everywhere, blood is everywhere.

I'm gasping for air; each time I breathe it feels like glass is being shoved down my throat.

A woman is over me; she removes bandages from my neck, but cringes. It must be bad.

I try to talk, a bubble of blood and venom comes up instead. The woman tells me not to talk, like I could anyway.

Where's Rodney, did Dorian kill him?

I try to turn my head, I sense him lying on a table across the room.

The woman must be a doctor or medicine woman, but there is something different about her. I think she's sensitive, or maybe it's something vampiric.

Her voice is ringing through my head.

"Rodney..."

Blood goes up my throat, but then it goes back down.

Dorian slit my throat, didn't he? Why the hell aren't I dead?

My ears are buzzing; my vision is too blurred to read lips.

If the bastard wanted to cut my throat, he could have done it right.

A wet cloth is put over my mouth and nose; I feel my venom going crazy.

I start to gag; stop it, please.

I try to get it off my face, but they pin my arms down.

The world slowly goes black; I've lost too much blood.

* * *

"Sawyer, what happened; I demand a full explanation," Nemo boomed. Nemo had just arrived at the inn; Mina arrived shortly afterwards.

"We tried to contact the league, Dorian was blocking our attempts."

"So you just decided to go off with your foolish notion with no backup; now look at what's happened. One is dead; Skinner and your other accomplice may follow."

John sensed that Sawyer wasn't going to react rationally; he came to the rescue.

"From my observations, he acted to the best of his ability; I would have done the same."

Nemo went on as if he didn't hear this. "Once we are on the Nautilus, you and John will go through an extensive interrogation, conducted by me, but until then, neither of you are to leave this inn."

* * *

"They killed her Skinner, I couldn't even stop it."

The two were at Becky's funeral; Sawyer wouldn't let the rest of the league come, not even Mina.

"None of us could predict them, Sawyer; I thought they were only after family." A shiver went through Skinner, possibly from the memories of the ones he lost to Moriarty's men,

"Do you think Nemo's right, about us not retaliating?"

Skinner stopped walking, and looked at the sky. Sawyer had learned Skinner did this when he was in deep thought.

"I think they deserve to burn in hell, but I don't know. You lead, I'll follow, just don't do anything stupid."

* * *

Mina had arrived by hansom; she came back for she sensed something was wrong, even before the telegram sent by Nemo. Maybe it was an instinct, a vampire one at best, but she knew something wasn't right.

As soon as she arrived, she went immediately to the make-shift infirmary; she guessed well that Jekyll was out manned.

"Try to locate the wounds on Skinner; we have to keep him alive till Fogg finishes the invention." Jekyll was trying to stop the massive bleeding on Alejandra's neck, trying to keep her alive as well.

"What will his invention do?"

"Let me see what the hell I'm doing while operating on Skinner."

Alejandra's eyes flew open, startling the both of them.

Mina went to her, out of pure curiosity.

"Who is this girl?" she thought to herself. "Is she Tom's latest flame?"

The girl tried to talk; blood and a mysterious substance came up instead.

"Don't talk," Mina instructed. She realized that it was a miracle the girl was still alive.

"Mina, soak this cloth with a sedative, make it strong. I have to operate now."

Mina got a cloth soaked with opium, and tried to place it over the girl's mouth and face. The girl tried to struggle, trying to remove the cloth from her face.

"Henry, hold her down; I can't keep it in place.

Jekyll pinned Alejandra's arms to the table; she stopped fighting, her eyes closed, she sunk back into unconsciousness.

* * *

Please review.


	10. Ball in Mongolia

Happy Halloween, and may the wolf man not get you! I get to go to a haunted house, LOL. Two more days until me and my friend give out candy as gumbys (doctor!).

* * *

Skinner was back in Mongolia, or was he?

He was dancing with Alejandra again, music and bullets blared in the background.

A bullet whistled passed his head, he looked up; Alan Quartermain was using his head for target practice.

He couldn't stop and run, he would lose his beloved Alex. He tried to dodge them the best he could; one finally hit him.

Dorian swept Alejandra away; she was drenched in blood. He ran after them, but took a wrong turn.

He was in an alley; the original invisible man was at the other end. He was holding a vile; the antidote. He started to consume it.

Skinner ran toward him, bullets rained down on him. The pain was immense, but he wanted it so badly.

He was almost there, the man almost completely visible. Three more steps, that's all it would take, but then the wall of fire came.

Skinner's lungs were on fire, he could feel the skin melting off his bones.

The man was fully visible; the vile went crashing to the floor.

* * *

"Mina," Jekyll yelled, "go back to the Nautilus and analyze Skinner's blood. We need to know what the hell is going on."

While Jekyll was fishing the sutures on Alejandra's neck, Skinner started to have a violent fit; a seizure.

This forced Jekyll to perform an emergency procedure; he had no clue what he was doing.

"Fogg, it would be helpful if that invention was done."

Fogg was getting annoyed by the constant pressuring.

"Well, it isn't my fault nobody has invented it already; considering that there have only been two invisible people in this world."

He was working as fast as he could, but nothing like this had ever been attempted before.

Sawyer was sitting in the chair, again. He wanted to go out and kill Dorian, or at least make sure the portrait got out of the country.

He was footsteps away from the room that held Joe's corpse, he couldn't do it.

"This is my fault, my screw up."

* * *

He was in Mina's stateroom, buttoning his collar and adjusting his belt buckle.

"Tom, why can't you ever stay?" questioned Mina. She was lying on the bed, huddled under the covers.

Sawyer couldn't answer; he just smiled. He couldn't, not for what he was about to do.

She managed to pull him in for a kiss; he almost considered staying for awhile longer.

"I care about you, never forget it."

This left her puzzled, but made his heart break into a thousand pieces. He was going against orders, both of the leagues and American government; he was going to get his revenge.

* * *

Mina was in a carriage, all by herself. She was crying.

"I'm a filthy woman; I don't deserve what I have."

Her heart was breaking, over Henry and what she had just done in Egypt.

For the past few months, the months before she went, her relationship with Henry had reached a stalemate. She didn't know if he still loved her.

The voice kept ringing through her head.

"I've lost two wives, and many lovers; I have no room or time for either."

"If only you were true to your word, Alan," she thought to her tearful self.

* * *

Please review. Ideas for chapter titles would be appreciated. Help: Does anyone know the name of the girl in Journey to the Center of the Earth?


	11. Egypt Blossoms

I'm back, afraid I had some writers block but listening to Spice Girls seemed to help. Please, somebody, what the hell is the name of the girl in Journey to the Center of the Earth? Is there even a girl in Journey to the Center of the Earth? There was a girl in that one T.V. movie on A&E, a BBC movie for those Brits out there. Anyway, here's to the story.

* * *

To stop internal bleeding, Jekyll had to operate on Alejandra. He put a rag of opium over her mouth and nose; she was too weak to fight. He thought that he was sedating her, she was screaming inside her head.

She felt the first incision; slow and painful. She wished that he would stop, that somebody would tell him.

She drifted to a different world, images of memories flickered like a candle in front of her unconscious eyes.

Then, her mind seemed to settle on one.

* * *

I'm in Egypt, maybe Alexandria. The air is hot and dry; a breeze is coming off the sea.

I'm back in the garden, under my favorite tree.

I'm happy, or at least I think I am.

I see Rodney; he's coming from the other side, somewhere near the flowers. He comes toward me with a flower, I remember now.

"Pretty view, though I still prefer London myself. Nothing can beat a dreary, rainy British summer."

I laugh and take the flower; he can always make me smile.

"A cocky place for a cocky individual," I tease.

He lifts me playfully, and spins me around.

He stops.

Time seems to stop for an instance, his invisible eyes stare into mine.

We move closer towards each other, but from the corner of my eye I see Joe.

I pull away, not from being seen, but for what I almost did.

Skinner tries to comfort me, I walk away.

"It's my fault, Alex, wait..."

Rodney tries to come after me, but I get to far away.

Blossoms suddenly fall from the trees in droves, they're drenched in blood.

* * *

Her eyes flew open, she tried to scream but blood and venom came up instead. Jekyll was just finishing up.

"Sawyer, I need help."

Sawyer came rushing in, horrified and filled with guilt.

* * *

Sawyer was in Joe's apartment, trying to recruit him.

"Tom, stop it. I want to get the guys who killed Becky, too, but I can't. The directors would have a field day with my record."

Sawyer paced the room; he was growing more anxious by the hour.

"Joe, please, we have to. You know the department gonna lose the trail fast, but we're quick."

Joe went silent, and began to scan the room.

"Give me a day to think things out."

Sawyer suddenly became alert, knowing what Joe was going to do. He knew this, hopefully Joe didn't; he had control.

"Tell someone, don't tell someone; I don't give a damn either way. I'll be back tomorrow. If you're coming, pack light."

As soon as Sawyer was there, he was gone.

* * *

"What the hell are you trying to do, you can't sedate her."

"Why the hell not?"

"Have you ever heard about the outlaw who couldn't be affected by poison, except for venom?"

"Christ..."

Jekyll felt like he was a sudden failure, he should have asked Sawyer, standard procedure.

Alejandra passed out, her body went still. Luckily, it wasn't from death.

* * *

Mina was trying her best to hold back the tears while examing Skinner's blood sample, along with the girl's.

Her tests had detected a poison in his blood, some substance that reacted with the invisible serum that constantly ran through his veins.

The girl was a totally different story; her blood seemed to be mostly concentrated of venom.

"How extraordinary?"

Mina began to think, about Alejandra struggling when trying to be sedated. The opium, that's it.

She added some opium to the blood sample, the venom seemed to explode.

"I got to tell Jekyll..."

* * *

Please, somebody, I need that name!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	12. Seeing Things Differently

I am so sad that Kerry lost, but now I am so happy. I heard something from my friend, the infamous Amanda Urban. Her dad and some other people told her, which then she told me, that they are making an LXG sequel! LOL! I do the happy dance!

* * *

**Disclaimer:** Since this is chapter 12, I've decided to restate the disclaimer. I do not own anything, cero, zip. The stuff belongs to whoever has the copyrights, which I don't.

* * *

"I've got it, I got it!" Fogg yelled in joy; he had finally finished. Though the yelling scared many tenants of the Parisian inn, it was well received by the members of the league.

He was in luck; Jekyll had just confirmed that Alejandra was stable; she would live for now.

"Dr. Jekyll, it works; it really works." Fogg ran to the make-shift infirmary, almost running into several tenants, which replied with curses in French.

"Will we be able to see Skinner now?" Jekyll really needed this; even the unusually quiet Edward Hyde wanted it.

_"Maybe the pansy made something actually useful this time."_

"I'm pretty sure it will; I was able to see the skin sample somewhat."

"What do you mean somewhat?"

_"Just as I told you."_

"You be able to see him; trust me on this. I had to manipulate light, refraction and stuff; it's beyond words how you'll be able to see it." While saying this, Fogg handed Jekyll a mysterious contraption that resembled a helmet with several different electric lights and lenses of different thickness. Jekyll put the the helmet on, Fogg placed the lenses over his eyes and turned the lights off. Fogg, while trying not to trip over a side table, turned the helmet lights on.

It was beyond words how to describe how Jekyll was able to see Skinner. Fogg had actually manipulated light waves in a way that refraction could be used against it. Jekyll almost felt silly, for he knew Skinner's condition had to deal with light refraction; he could never have dreamt of this though.

"Fogg, I want you to tell Nemo that the girl, Alex, that she can be transported. I want you to go with her, along with Sawyer, in case something goes wrong."

"When do you think Mr. Skinner will be ready to leave for the Nautilus?"

Jekyll hesitated in his response; he couldn't give an answer. "I'll finish when I'm finished."

* * *

Sawyer was sitting at the inn's bar; he could tell that they were going to leave soon. The inn keeper was in lifted spirits, inn keepers were only like this when they were about to be paid,

"Bartender, give me another." Sawyer had decided to fall into the old game of having your problems sink to the bottom of a bottle.

* * *

Sawyer, Joe, and Skinner were at a bar in the Five Points, watching some whores in the corner. A man came and joined them.

"She's the one in red; her trademark color."

They were there to recruit Cocheta Alejandra Evanidus McLaughlin, otherwise known as Alejandra the Great, for their task of revenge. She was very thin and pale, but deathly beautiful; her dark hair was filled with natural blond and red highlights. Looks were definitely deceiving, for she was the deadliest person in the bar.

"Jake, what's our chance of getting her?"

Jake's look could have said it all, but he spoke anyway. "It's gonna be a real crapshoot, if you get what I'm saying. She may, probably will, but there is now a good chance she won't."

All four were totally oblivious to the fact that she was staring in their direction.

"Jake, you're screwing with me; why wouldn't she?"

"Because the woman, at least on the streets, has been officially labeled "not gonna see next year."

"Damn it, Jake; when the hell haven't they been saying that?"

"Um, Tom," Joe interrupted, "I think she knows we're here."

"Good, then she'll stick around a little longer."

Joe was deeply confused, but Skinner gave him the look which translated to, "don't ask; trust him."

On his way leaving, Jake gave them a final tip. "She's going to Bill's party in the former Dead Rabbits territory; don't let anyone know you're government."

"But they defected." Skinner hadn't quite gotten the underworld rules of America yet; it was like having the rules of London's underworld turned upside down.

"Government or former, they would still like you floating dead in the East River."

* * *

"Sawyer, we're leaving." Sawyer was able to hide the bottle before Fogg came in.

"Are they stable now, or are they both dead," Sawyer's speech was slurred; he was drunk; he had to pull it together.

"Stable, luckily." Fogg didn't want what Sawyer was doing, he just wanted to get back to the Nautilus.

"We're going to leave with the girl, I mean Alex; Jekyll and Mr. Erway will follow with Skinner.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Sawyer grabbed his coat and proceeded in going to the infirmary to help move Alejandra.

* * *

Nemo paced the room, for it usually helped him think, though it wasn't working now.

"Nemo, I've told you once and I'll tell you again, all I know is that they stole something from Gray, and a woman named Alice Hastings now has it."

"It must have been his portrait; nothing else's of Gray could be more valuable. At times like this, I wish we could know what was happening before this, maybe when they got that girl."

"But Nemo, why would they do it in the first place? Picking a fight with an immortal doesn't seem like their cup of tea; there must be something else."

"Yes, I agree, but the girl must play into this somehow. Maybe she had something with Gray?"

* * *

Dude, sorry that it took me so long for the update. I know some of have read the book, I did too, but then school ended, so please, please, please, please, please help me. Also, can anyone prove the movie rumor true?


	13. Bill's Party

**Shout outs:**

Artemis Gray: Dude, I hope they make it, too. Tomorrow, I'll ask her what the source is. Thanks again for giving me the name; I'm such a lazy bum. I'm a freshman in high school, which is my excuse.

* * *

Joe was awake, dying, but awake. His breaths were now gasps; each was deeply pained. His lungs were now filled with crimson blood; he was choking to death.

"Joe, don't die; please don't die." Sawyer was crying, but still held Joe's hand firmly.

"Tom," Joe said between gasps, "promise...me...you'll go...back...talk to..." A shockwave went through Joe's body, as if it were a last defense against death.

"I promise, Joe; I promise to go back."

Joe stopped breathing, his eyes rolled back into his head. Sawyer felt a hand shaking his shoulder.

* * *

"Mr. Sawyer, wake up, we're her." Fogg was already outside the car, a couple of Nemo's men were moving Alejandra into the Nautilus. Sawyer had fallen asleep mid-journey; from pure exhaustion or intoxication, he didn't know or care.

He ran to catch up, the crew walked faster than he remembered. Alejandra was now in a really infirmary; Skinner soon to follow. He got a stool and sat by her; Skinner would want him to. If he didn't do this, he would be tempted to raid Nemo's store of whiskey.

He stared at her, being reminded again about though she couldn't have intimate contact with anyone, Skinner still loved her. Then, Sawyer thought about how he had no one.

* * *

They were at Bill's party, one of the dirtiest theaters and scum hangouts in all of New York City, possibly on the East coast. No one knew that they were former government; nobody cared about them to begin with. The air was thick with alcohol and the scents of countless illegal drugs.

The three got seats towards the back of the theater, near the exit at Skinner's suggestion.

"Places like these are prone to massacres between rival gangs; doesn't matter what country you are from."

Their attention was drawn to the center of the run-downed stage, where a booming voice gathered the attention of the room.

"Good evening thieves and whores, murders and land lords."

This was apparently funny to the rowdy crowd, but made them fell more nervous, especially for Joe.

"This better work, Tom."

"Tonight, we celebrate our great nation's independence; we celebrate our way of life."

The crowd applauded, the man took it as a sign to go on.

"We are New York; we are America." Tom shifted in his seat, Skinner and Joe knew that Sawyer was nervous about something, or he sensed that something bad was going to happen.

"Something isn't right; Joe, get ready to shoot."

"The crime underworld and them scum of the earth is the heart of our great nation; corruption is the real driving force behind manifest destiny. We are the ones who decide which candidate shall lead us; we decide who gets freedom..."

"Shut the hell up, Bill! Where the fuck is your assistant?" The crowd was already losing patience, and becoming more violent with every waking moment.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I shall leave the speeches to the politicians this evening. Now, let me introduce my assistant for tonight, Marie."

The girl looked barely eighteen, a girl who was already deep in the underworld. She was part of Bill's throwing knife routine, you could tell that she didn't want to be there. He would throw a knife, the knife would only graze her; the crowd applauded loudly with delight.

Then, Alejandra appeared in the center of the theater; dressed in a red, oriental gown.

"And you say she has a slight gift of making an entrance." Tom and Joe were too nervous to make a response to Skinner's apparent joke.

"Bill, how long has it been? Five, six years?" Bill showed a slight smile, not threatened the slightest bit.

"If you say you don't fear her, you are not of this world, for everyone fears her."

Alejandra began to pace the room, seeming to control it with every step.

"You know, not like I like to brag, but I taught her everything she knows about knives. Like Marie, she was once my assistant."

"And a bloody whore," someone screamed from the audience. Maria ran off the stage crying.

"Was, for its sort of hard to with my current condition." She showed a cocky smile, a smile that was meant to hide her fear.

"Alex, for old times sake; it seems the crowd has scared away my assistant, and I can't go on without one." She got up on stage and firmly braced herself against the was. She prepared herself for the stream of knives that were soon to come.

"If this is for old time's sake, then I should be able to throw a couple, too."

The whole room shifted their gazes to the back.

* * *

"Stop it, you got to pull it together," Sawyer told himself. He kept drifting into the past, as if his mind was trying to punish him. He looked at Alejandra again, all of the guilt rushed back, along with feelings for another beauty.

"God, I hope Alice got out alright with the portrait."

* * *

Please reveiw.


	14. Voices at the End of the Hall

**Shout Outs:**

**xImmortalx**: Dude, marching band does suck. Guess what, I'm still not done with it yet. I have to go to playoffs and I have to march in the Fiesta Bowl Parade. You should read my marching band fics; especially Marching Band Voodoo.

* * *

**LXG Sequel Update**: Amanda still doesn't know how her dad and friends found out about it, but she says that she has a sixth sense about it (and this is usually right). If they are making it, it would be a good guess that filming or pre-production may start in a year. Once I start getting Entertainment Weekly and Premiere again, I'll be able to get more information.

* * *

Mina didn't know where she was; she was in a hall filled with mirrors. They were shattered and splattered with blood; she couldn't see her reflection.

At the end of the hall, she heard a baby crying and a man moaning. She began to run toward the noise.

"Jonathan, Quincy..."

The hall became longer as she ran father, she started to slide on the floor. She looked down, blood was everywhere.

"Mina...Mina..." The voices were getting fainter, the floor became more slippery.

"No, don't leave me, John..."

* * *

She woke up, drenched in sweat and panting. She had passed out again; it was starting to get more frequent nowadays.

"It's getting worse..." She felt her forehead; it was unusually hot, but felt cold at the same time.

More and more, she had passed out to this dream, a dream of her late husband and child. Years ago, she had lost them both to influenza, a disease that she was immune to because she was a vampire.

"I should have never of told him, but he understood." The league never knew about the circumstances of Jonathan's death; they never even knew about poor Quincy. None of them knew, except for Quatermain. The sleeping spells had started shortly after her visit to Africa, to see him.

"Oh God, I got to tell Jekyll about the blood..." She was on her way, but then she passed out. She had to end this, before it would cost her.

* * *

"I'm a failure," Sawyer thought while looking at the bottom of another whiskey bottle. He wasn't sitting with Alejandra anymore; he was instead sitting alone, in a dark room, going back to the old game that Fogg had rudely interrupted.

"Everyone has someone but me..."

Sawyer was completely drunk; it was fueled by depression.

"First Becky left me and got engaged to Huck, that lousy traitor, and then Mina went for Jekyll. Hell, even Skinner got a girl in the end."

He busted out crying for no reason, and got another bottle.

* * *

"Still mourning over that scum you called your brother, Isaac?" She was surprised, caught off guard in a way; she thought the cops had got him years ago. Bill motioned for her to be quiet; this wasn't something to be a smart ass about. He held an expression of fear on his face.

"Get the hell out of here; you're not welcomed here."

"Let me throw a couple, and then maybe I'll leave." There was a menacing tone to Isaac's voice; like it was the devil himself.

Isaac took the stage and took aim. Sawyer, Joe, and Skinner cringed as each knife got closer to breaking Alejandra's skin. During all of this, Marie was dragged onto the stage, thrown onto the wall next to Alejandra. He took aim, Alejandra screamed, a knife pierced Marie's heart. Then, all hell broke loose.

"Joe, Skinner, we got to get out of here now!" Tom screamed over the many screams and gunshots.

"What about the girl?" screamed Skinner.

"She'll be fine."

Alejandra was dodging knives left and right; one broke the skin on her shoulder. She had enough, her reflexes kicked in. Her eyes took a more brownish color; she had full awareness of everything around her. She grabbed a knife mid-air and sent it through Issac's forehead.

Joe was the only one who saw this, but was dragged out the door by Sawyer.

* * *

"Quatermain would be so proud of me now; now there's another person I let down." He got, stumbling over his feet already.

"I think I'm gonna get some fresh air, Joe."

* * *

Skinner was back in Paris, wondering hopelessly on the moonless streets.

"Alex...where are you?"

He thought he saw her around the corner, but she disappeared like always.

"Please, Alex, we need to leave..."

He thought he heard her laughing, but only saw her corpse lying in front of him. He collapsed to the ground, covered in his on blood.

* * *

The whole league would soon be back on the Nautilus, and would soon be making the voyage back to England. John and Nemo had already gone ahead; Jekyll was only with Skinner in one of the Nemomobiles.

"Alex..." Skinner murmured softly; it was a promising sign. He had been like this ever since surgery ended, but each murmur seemed to be backed with a nightmare.

Jekyll spoke to calm Skinner, though he knew that Skinner couldn't hear him.

"She's fine, Skinner."

* * *

Please review.


	15. Somebody Else

**LXG  Sequel Update**: O.K., here's the story: pray. Though the movie fell short of expected box office gross in the U.S, it was a hit abroad. Basically, if they come out with anther Indiana Jones movie, chances are good (Indiana Jones has been having trouble finding a script). Here's the bad news: parts may be recasted, though Peta Wilson will keep her part (if they recast the invisible man, I will kill people). But I do have good news: It will be filmed at Fox Studios in Syndey, and Norrington has left Hollywood so he can't direct (he sucks!). If they can get a good script and the director, the idea of having the war of the worlds occur may actually work (except a remake of the film The War of the Worlds is coming out next year). As I said again, pray, and may the force be with us (I saw the new Episode III trailer and it rocked!).

* * *

It's dark, I can't move, I'm hopeless.

I feel alone, this isn't a dream. Something is by me, but it isn't of the living world.

My veins burn with venom; my lungs feel like someone is squeezing them shut, like death.

Death must be by me; one of the damned.

No life is by me, I'm dying.

* * *

Mina was the one sitting by her; she was close enough to one of the damned. She was on her way out, but her senses drew her to the girl. She wondered who the girl was; had she seen her before.

Bandages covered the girl's neck; she was now gasping for air. Mina could literally feel the girl's pain, and felt that somebody else could, too.

* * *

It rained hard against the castle windows, Dracula laid moaning in pain on the floor.

"If only the girl would just die, that's the problem with the young ones."

The new brides were huddled in a corner, scared by their master's outbursts of pain. One was brave enough to speak.

"Master, why don't you just kill the blood line off; their blood must be somewhat tasty." Dracula then let out a hellish scream, causing the brides to flee to the ceiling.

"I can't; the blood of an Evanidus is like the flames of hell, one of the few things that can bring me pain. I curse them all to purgatory, along with their lovers, and this is what I get. Every time one is shot, I feel the bullet ripping through my flesh. When one is burned at the steak, I feel like I'm on fire." He got up and threw a piece of furniture across the room.

"If I drink their blood, it would be like drinking my own. Only the devil would drink the blood of his own blood line."

Another bride, one called Anna, came flying from the ceiling to comfort him.

"It isn't your fault; everyone gets their heartbroken."

Dracula took what seemed to be a deep breath, though vampires don't breathe.

"It is, my dear Anna, though I cannot blame your ignorance for you haven't lived for several hundred years. I committed adultery in the eyes of God when I was still among the living, I also killed off most of the Evanidus family while also being one of the living. Natasha's brother committed the crime of murdering her, his own blood line, in front of her own child. I cursed him, and the Lord God himself heard me. Now, for the last hundreds of years, I've felt their pain and cries from the gates of St. Peter."

"Can't you revoke the curse?"

"If I could, I would have done it already, but then I would have to be dead."

* * *

Jekyll walked in, almost surprised to see her there, but glad at the same. He wanted to talk to her, badly.

_"You're too much of a coward, Henry."_

"Thank God somebody has been observing her; I thought Fogg or at least Sawyer would be."

"She's been gasping for air the last half hour...Sawyer is here?" Mina hadn't seen him anywhere, but she was the one who passed out. Jekyll didn't hear the last part, or was possibly pretending not to.

_"Somebody jealous?"_

"We can't give her anything to help the pain, she has some sort of venom reflex that prevents them from going into effect."

This automatically made sense in Mina's head, and gave an explanation for the venom being coughed up. But how would a sedative work if the venom destroyed the opium? Jekyll wasn't telling her something.

"Well at least you were able to sedate her." She automatically saw the guilt on his face, now she knew why the girl was in so much pain. "You operated her without a sedative..."

"Mina, we had no choice..."

"Not even with a pain killer?" They were now both screaming at each other. "What if she woke up during operating, this isn't like you Henry..."

"She did wake up, but she is still alive, but she probably wouldn't be if we didn't operate. I'm a doctor, that's what I do; any doctor would do the same." Jekyll hated this, yelling at Mina.

Mina left the room, almost on the verge of crying, and yelled, "Times like this, Dr. Jekyll, Hyde seems like a better human being than you."

* * *

"I want to end it, Joe, I can't go on..."

Sawyer was on the deck of the Nautilus; it was still at port.

"Wish I never joined the secret service. Hell, any crackpot with common sense could have saved Uncle Silas from jail." Sawyer stood by the rail, throwing another empty bottle into the water.

"What do you think, Joe?"

* * *

He was in an alley with Alejandra, trying to strike a deal.

"We could use, Alex, I'm not denying that; but this could clear part of your record if it works out." Sawyer needed this, he really did. She had contacts all over the world; one of them had to know who killed Becky.

"If, Tom, if. What if we don't, what happens then?" Alejandra was tired, she wanted to leave the Five Points as soon as possible. Isaac's boys were probably itching to have her dead; it would be the prized trophy for the gang. "Tom, I'm twenty years old, I want a normal life, one that doesn't involve people getting killed." She started to walk away, she had enough already.

"And since when was that, back at the theater, a step towards normal?" Sawyer had her, and he knew it. She would give in, sooner or later. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"When are we heading out?" Sawyer could give her some security, security as in not having a federal execution anytime soon.

"First light, maybe earlier."

"Tom, this is for Huck's sake, not yours." Sawyer had a victory; he was one step closer to his goal.

* * *

Sawyer waited for an answer, but never got it.

"You're dead, I killed you..."He collapsed on the deck, crying uncontrollable.

"I killed you, I killed you all." He got up, still crying, and leaned over the railing.

"I'm sorry."

His body weight was pushed over.

* * *

Please reveiw, and pray! 


	16. Drowning

**LXG Sequel Update:** I had a dream........of toast. God help us now.

* * *

Sawyer was kicking hard but couldn't stay afloat. He went under; water filled up his lungs. He tried to get up to the surface again, but his vision was too blurred. 

"Tom..." he thought he heard, but it was muffled by the water. He was running out of air, he kicked harder. He wanted to breathe so badly, but more water would fill his lungs instead.

His mind was no longer working for him, but against him.

_"Breathe, Tom, you know you want to."

* * *

_

They were going back to Venice, though Tom didn't want to. It was where the league was tricked, where the countdown of Quartermain's last days began. He didn't know if Skinner felt the same, for he was too busy talking with Alejandra. Joe had never been to Europe and wasn't in the league; it wasn't worth asking to begin with.

Besides, he tried to ignore all possible subjects that would lead to Alejandra, and every conversation led back to her. Joe didn't trust her at all, for she was a wanted criminal, and her "condition" didn't help either. Though she had been with them for several months now, he still kept his stubborn thoughts.

He felt a nudge at his shoulder, Joe was now on the observation deck, and Sawyer knew automatically what Joe wanted to talk about.

"Tom, what if she tried to seduce one of us and..."

"Agent Joeseph Harper, Jesus Christ, could you have some faith in me for once? If she wanted to, she would have at least done that with Skinner already. For God's sake, haven't you heard his bar maid stories?" Joe ducked his head in defeat and embarrassment, Joe knew that Alejandra wouldn't try to seduce them, though he felt something was going on between her and Skinner.

Alejandra's small, quiet laughter broke the silence; Skinner had obviously made some hilarious joke. Sawyer looked out to the ocean again; Joe sensed that he felt annoyed.

"Tom, you jealous?"

"Excuse me?" Sawyer was somewhat shocked at Joe's question.

"I said, are you jealous about Alejandra and Skinner?" Joe had a mile wide grin on his face; he enjoyed having Tom cornered.

"Are you suggesting that I have personal feelings for Alex, and that something is going on between those two?" Tom once had feelings for her, until he found out about her crime record.

"Fine, be that way; I just find it amazing that you are completely blind to love affairs that you are not involved with." Joe headed inside, storm clouds were growing overhead.

Tom didn't bother to reply, for he was somewhat right. He looked at Skinner and Alejandra again, and knew that Joe was right.

* * *

He couldn't, he wouldn't, but he eventually gave in. His lungs were completely filled with water; his brain felt like it was going to explode. 

Everything went black, his body floated to the surface.

* * *

"Mina..." Skinner whispered groggily, he had just woken up. He saw her walking past the room, though knew that she probably didn't hear him. But by miracle, she did. 

She stopped and came into the room; you could barely hear her footsteps.

"Is...Alex...?" Skinner tried to sit up, but Mina forced him to lie back down.

"She's fine; she's in the room next door." She felt sorry for him, she honestly did. A few times, she would admit, she did wish for him to die for squeezing her bum or for going through her things; but this was too cruel. She then felt even guiltier.

"Maybe Skinner and Alex were together," she thought privately.

He seemed relieved; he went back to sleep again. She hoped that Jekyll had blown off some steam, that maybe he would be approachable again. She was still mad at him, but what she had done in Africa made Jekyll's ill judgment seem minor.

"God, I wish I could tell you..."

* * *

Nemo had brought it upon himself to search Joe's body for anything that could help them in the present. John had gone to get Sawyer, Nemo wanted to start the "so-called" interrogation as soon as possible. 

So far, he had found a blood soaked American Secret Service badge and a picture of a young girl that was also soaked in blood. Then, he finally found what he was looking for: a journal. He opened it; photos, letters, and notes fell to the floor. He thought of picking them up, but decided to read the journal.

* * *

_July 5, 1901_

_Five Points_

_Recruited Cocheta Alejandra Evanidus McLaughlin, now we can finally leave the city...

* * *

_

Nemo skimmed through the book, trying to find something that could help them.

* * *

_May 15, 1902_

_Vatican City_

_Tom picked up the reward so now we can leave. Skinner is especially glad we're leaving, considering he almost got killed by a werewolf..._

_

* * *

_

Nemo would have read this, but felt that it had nothing to do with the current situation.

* * *

_December 25, 1902_

_Portugal_

_Got distress call from Alex...

* * *

_

"Here we go..." thought Nemo with hope inside his head.

* * *

Please review. 


	17. The Journal of Joe Harper

**Help:** If anyone knows of any good villains or heroes from Victorian literature, please put it in a review or email me (including the book would be even more helpful)

Sorry for the cliff hanger; I call it a cliff hanger. I wasn't originally going to put it in the story, but what the hell. This chapter is entirely about the journal, but in the next chapter will be about the other things happening on the ship (including Tom's apparent drowning). The entries are rather dry, but Joe Harper was never really exciting in the books.

* * *

Nemo began at the beginning of the passage again, for he didn't want to miss a single word.

* * *

_Dec 25, 1902_

_Portugal_

_Got distress call from Alex, we're leaving for Paris right now. At first, we thought it was fake, but Tom is pretty sure it isn't. Skinner wouldn't care either way, Alex is in trouble, nothing else matters._

_The message was brought by an old contact of her's; he died quickly after he delivered the torn piece of paper. Whoever killed him, they didn't want us to read the message._

_Tom was the first to read it, no shit, but you could tell it was bad from the beginning. From all of the years I've known him, I've learned to tell the signs. About two words into it, give or take a few, he stopped making a V on his cheek with his forefinger._

_"Who the hell is it from?" Skinner didn't like this, either._

_"This can't be real, there's no way in hell. We killed him…" This made me fell more uneasy, for God's sake, he was beginning to sound like a man who had paid a visit to the house of the rising sun too many times._

_"Damn it, let me read it." Skinner literally pried the piece of paper from Tom's hand. In a few seconds, he had seemed to read it all. "We need to leave now."_

_"Skinner, we don't know if it's a fake…"_

_"I don't care, she could be dead…." I took the paper, in turn, away from Skinner. It was really, though we will find out when we get there. Nobody writing a fake note as a rouse could give it a human face like this one had. And to think that we might have had a possibly cheerful Christmas._

_

* * *

_

The entry ended there, but maybe the message was one of the contents that fell onto the floor. Nemo began to rummage through the pile, a pile that seemed impossible to come from the journal. After what seemed like minutes, he finally found the message.

* * *

_Help me, please, I can't last much longer. I should have left as soon as he started stalking me, but I was too stupid to notice. Dorian is keeping me as his prisoner; I'll kill myself if I have to stay here much longer. I don't know where I am, it's been days since I've had food. There are mirrors everywhere; I think it's in the richer part of Paris. Please, help me. If I'm dead by the time you read this letter, you have to stop him anyway. Dorian has found a way to be more…

* * *

_

It stopped, but maybe there is something more in the journal. He started to read the journal again.

* * *

_December 26,1902_

_Bay of Biscay_

_It was decided to take a boat to the northern coast of France, we didn't have much of a choice. This Mr. Gray guy, from what we had heard, had several hit man scattered across the Spanish and French country sides. So in any case, going by road was not an option, but what the hell am I kidding, that would be too slow. I don't know why I keep doing this, for this journal isn't a Secret Service entry log. Alex could be dead, a human being could be dead. Skinner hasn't slept at all, well, he tried once. He just got one hell of a nightmare, though it could have been worst. He doesn't talk much either; he really loves her and this is probably worst than death. Every since Bangkok, it's been ridiculously obvious that they loved it each other. Her condition is a shame, for they would have been perfect otherwise._

_December 27, 19902_

_Paris_

_We arrived safely, but more importantly secretly. Before we left Portugal, Tom was smart enough to leave a fake trail. As far as Gray knows, we are some where in the Atlantic heading toward the West Indies. Yeah, we're here, but we have no clue where the hell she is. She could be at the Notre Dame of Eifle tower for all we know. We've called contacts, visited the room where she was staying, asked around at local bars and at the cafes._

_"He must be using an alias, there's no other way." Skinner has been searching ever since we got here, and is on the verge of killing himself in the process. He won't eat, he won't sleep; it reminds me of the time Alex passed out and didn't wake up for three days. I thought he was like a statue during the whole ideal, but at least you didn't have far to go to find him._

_We got a lead, God I hope this one is right._

_December 28, 1902_

_French Country Side_

_By the grace of God, Skinner found her, though we didn't even get close to Gray and the other bastards who did this. We're on a train right now; I wish it would go faster. Her injuries are horrible and possibly life threatening; what the hell was going on?_

_Skinner, as I said was the one who found her. He was going through an alley, searching for her. Our lead had gone stale, we were back to searching the hard way. He says he had a sense that just kept bugging him, bugging him to go into a run-down building. While going invisible, he thought he heard her._

_"I decided to keep my clothes on, and went in. Then, I just found her lying there…"_

_She was chained to a wall, unconscious, and was apparently left for dead. He couldn't get the chains off her, and had to leave against his better judgment. He put his coat over her and left, and then Tom and I hear him screaming like a mad lunatic._

_"I found her, we got to hurry." He ran after him, and he lead us to the building. Tom and I used our Colts to shoot the chain locks, and we got out of there. We had to stop three alleys over; Alex started to cough up blood and something else which I presumed would be venom. Skinner cradled her till we could move again, it was heartbreaking._

_"Breathe," he kept saying, "we got all the time in the world." She stopped, eventually, but passed out again._

_Since we've been on the train, she hasn't awaken once. By luck, there was a doctor, and he has tried to treat her the best he could. Also, by our luck, he was an American that was here for a medical convention._

_"The marks on her neck show signs of possibly strangulation, though it looks like the perk would pull away before it was fatal. Several of her ribs look broken, or at least sufficiently cracked. It's hard to tell, they could have possibly been broken by the pressure of a corset put on too tight." And the list went on and on, more horrible than the next, but then I just wanted to kill Gray._

_"She's suffered severe sexual abuse." Skinner was about to jump off the train and kill the bastards who did this, and I think we all would have gladly joined him._

_December 31, 1902_

_Alexandria_

_Alex is awake, though can't talk; she's preoccupied with trying to breath. She's having a venom attack, one she's been suppressing for about month. We've only gotten bits of information from her, including the way Gray has gotten more powerful._

_"The portrait…he's using…it…to ….when he regenerates…he gets…stronger."_

_This isn't good; an immortal who is as strong as a Greek god. Tom is trying to get hold of the league; there's no way in hell we can do this alone.

* * *

_

Nemo stopped; they had tried to reach the league for over a month? All of this time, and the league couldn't even receive one cry for help. Nemo skipped to the last entry in the journal.

* * *

_February 17, 1903_

_Paris_

_The plan is simple: get Gray's portrait and get the hell out. I hate this, I don't like it at all. We shouldn't be doing this; we need the league. Alex's words keep wringing in my head._

_"If anything goes wrong, you use this ticket and get the hell out of here. You go tell the league about Gray, tell the Secret Service, and go underground. You should have never have been involved in this; I'm sorry."_

_The ticket is in the pocket of this journal, I pray that I don't have to use it. We look pretty funny looking in our masquerade costumes; even Tom agrees with me. Till the meeting in the end._

_

* * *

_

It ended there, Nemo closed it. It was hard to believe that the man who wrote it was dead, lying motionlessly forever. The boy was only Sawyer's age, somewhere in his early twenties. He put the pile back in the journal, and put it on top of the dead body. Then a crewmember ran in, out of breath.

"Captain, there's a situation on deck; the American has gone overboard."

Please review. I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I updated. These people, need to update damn it: Sawyerfan and Lady Norbert. If I spelled your screen name wrong, tough; if you don't update or post, I shun you from my circle.


	18. Sawyer's Rescue

**Help:** Does anybody know of any heroes or villains from Victorian literature written in Victorian times? Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or at least try to find some characters that could be threats to the members of the league. I already know what Skinner's threat will be, along with Mina's. Also, what is the best Sherlock Holmes book and which one(s) is Professor James Morearty in? I know I spelled his name wrong, but you get the idea.

I have figured out how to end this, but I am now starting to plan for OTVK Volume II.

* * *

John was the first to discover Sawyer missing. Nemo had sent him to find Sawyer, but he couldn't find him. He asked a crew member about where he was, and was told that he had gone on deck. 

"With no disrespect to Mr. Sawyer," the crewmember added, "he seemed a little, well, intoxicated." Sawyer was drunk and on the deck, John started towards the bulkhead door which lead to the deck.

"God, I hope he didn't go over board," he thought to himself quietly. But, as soon as he had concluded this thought, and was on the deck, he realized that he wasn't there. Thoughts of maybe the crew member being wrong raced through his head, but he still brought himself to look over the railing.

"Somebody, help," he screamed at the top of his lungs. He saw Sawyer flailing in the cold water. He kept going under, but then Sawyer eventually didn't come back up. Mina had heard John's screams, and ran to the deck.

"Mr. Erway, what's…?"

"The boy's gone overboard." John had removed his jacket and was about to go overboard. Mina ran to the railing to catch a look of Sawyer, but could only see his silhouette under the murky water.

"Sawyer…" she screamed, and John dived in.

* * *

It was before they tried to leave Paris, but it was after the ball. Their things were already on their way to Alexandria, but they were still there in Paris. Tom was outside their inn, giving the cloth covered portrait to Alice. 

"Alice, you don't have to do this." Sawyer knew that she had to, there was no other choice. He hated it, but she volunteered to do this. He hated putting someone he loved in harm's way, but again, there was no other way.

"Tom, I've been to the center of the earth; I think I can try not to get killed." Alice tried to sound confident, but tears were in her eyes. At this, Sawyer brought her close and kissed her. Alice whispered in his ear. "We'll see each other again, I promise…"

* * *

John was in the water, but Sawyer was no where to be seen. John dived under again, but the murky water limited his vision. He couldn't stay under any longer; he went back up for air. 

"Sawyer, Sawyer…" he yelled over and over again. All hope was lost, until Sawyer's body appeared on the surface of the water. John swam to him as fast as he could, but Sawyer seemed to only get farther and farther away. He needed help.

"Mina, I can't reach him…use your powers." Mina understood; her eyes became a blood thirsty red. She flew into the air and lunged toward where Sawyer was floating. She grabbed him, like she would one of her ill-fated victims, and pulled him out of the water. She dropped him on the deck and went back for John. He reached his hand out so she could grab it, and he was soon on the deck, too.

"Somebody fetch Dr. Jekyll," she screamed at one of the crew members. Sawyer wasn't breathing; he had no pulse.

* * *

Jekyll had just come from checking on Alejandra, when he found Skinner gasping for air. He was trying to say something, but couldn't say what he wanted. 

"Skinner, what is it?" Then Jekyll remembered that he had sent Mina to examine Skinner's blood sample, but there was no time for that now. Jekyll suddenly saw a pad of paper moving across the bedside table; Skinner was trying to communicate. Jekyll gave him a pen and the pad of paper and Skinner began to write.

"Think…poison…on…knife."

"Where the hell is Mina?" Just as Jekyll was about to search for Mina, a crew member came running in, out of breath.

"Doctor, there's been a terrible accident; the American went over board."

* * *

**I know I say this at the end of every chapter, butupdate! please review! Otherwise, I don't know if anybody likes it or if anybody is even reading it. Damn it, nobody with the good fics is updating (Sawyerfan and Lady Norbert to name a few). You are now officially shunned from my circle that only consists of my DVDs and my computer. You don't care, but please review!**


	19. Hello, my love

**Shout outs:**

**xImmortalx:** The story confuses me, too, and I'm supposed to be the writer!

**Raven Silvers:**You rock!

* * *

As I said, I am preparing to write the second volume of the series, but I am also preparing to write stories about events that happen right after the movie. Anyway, my next fics will probably contain characters or events from: MS. in a Bottle, Morella, The Assignation, The Mystery of Mary Roget: A Sequel to "The Murders in the Rue Morgue", The Gold-Bug, The Premature Burial, Some Words with a Mummy, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland series, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes series, The War of the Worlds, King Solomon's Mines, The Most Dangerous Game, James Bond, The Invisible Man, blah, blah, and I'm spent. 

Sadly, or else I will get sued; I have to list the authors. Edgar Allan Poe (first 7), Lewis Carrol, Sir Conan Coyle, H.G. Wells, Haggard (I can't spell his name), Jack London, Ian Flemying, and H.G. Wells again. To tell you the truth, I did this to waste time because I am a mindless lemming.

* * *

Without further ado, here's chapter nineteen for Of the Vanishing Kind. Almost forgot, I also have to redo the disclaimer right now.

* * *

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, leave me alone. After chapter twenty (the last chapter, thank god), I shall list my sources so those who are interested can see where I got this marvelous idea from (or where this train wreck originated).

* * *

I don't know where I am, or even what world I'm in. 

I'm wearing the blood jewels and the gown I wore to the masquerade ball; but this isn't Paris.

I'm in a castle some where, an old medieval castle. I sense suffering, I hear screaming.

I finally get to the end of the hall; the horror before my eyes is too much to bear.

"Hello, my love…"

* * *

There's too much water in his lungs," yelled a much panicked Jekyll. The young boy had been under water for several minutes, several minutes without oxygen. They tried to give him breath to breath, but it didn't work. Fogg worked as hard as he could to assemble a machine that could give oxygen to Sawyer, but it was too complicated. 

"I can't read the directions; they're all in French!" Jekyll took the piece of paper from Fogg.

"You idiot, you had it upside down!" Everything that could go wrong went wrong that day. Jekyll, even during all of the commotion, was still able to catch a glance at Mina. She was like a ghost, not making a pun to her current undead status.

"Is there anything I can do?" She wanted to help desperately, but yet she felt so useless. She couldn't bring herself to looking at Sawyer's body, from it would bring her to tears, the thought of Sawyer dying.

"Go screen Skinner's blood for poison, now!"

* * *

They were about to leave, all of them. Skinner seemed to be the only thing keeping Alejandra from falling over, she was so weak. Sawyer hated this reality, but still had to bear it: They were being separated. 

It was in the plan, for them to go into hiding and alert the league and government agencies. Alejandra was supposed to go to Kingston, Jamaica, but Sawyer knew that she had other plans. A rumor had sprung up that Alan Quartermain had risen from the dead, had the old white-hunter had a debt that needed to be repaid with her. Joe was to go alert the American government and somehow manage to go into hiding at the same time. Skinner was to go straight to London and find out who Gray's allies were.

Sawyer was still unsure about what he had to do. No, he wasn't unsure; he just didn't want to do it. He was going to be the one who would alert the league. They would probably hate him, but he had to. What Gray did to Alejandra was only the beginning.

"If something bad happens, forget the plans, save your selves." These were his final words to his group, the group that for months he had been partners in crime and justice with.

"Can anything get possibly worse at this point, Sawyer?" No one laughed at Skinner's joke, though it wasn't even clear if it was suppose to be a joke. Sawyer, with his eyes, saw Skinner only grip Alejandra's gloved hand tightly.

"This is truly the beginingging of the end," Sawyer thought to himself.

* * *

Sawyer coughed up what seemed to be gallons of water, which seemed to be a rude awakening for him. He remembered nothing after the blackness, though he had the slight recollection of swallowing the water. 

"John, help Sawyer to his room; interrogations can wait for another day." John gladly complied, and helped the young boy up.

Though Sawyer was lucky to still be alive, only one thought went through his head.

"They're defiantly gonna have my ass for this."

* * *

Please review. This is the second to last chapter, may the sweet lord have mercy. 

**LXG Update: Raven Silvers says they might make it into a T.V. show. I f they do, they better have it in America. She also told me that they are probably making a sequel because Don Murphy posted it on his website. Yeah!!!!!!!!!!**


	20. The Choice

**This is the final chapter Of the Vanishing Kind. In the disclaimer, I will have the ultimate disclaimer and special thanks (basically for anybody who reviewed or helped me out in some way). There will also be a short preview about what I am going to write next.**

I shed a tear, but wait; it's just dust in my eye.

* * *

I step back in horror, but his hypnotic gaze only brings me closer. From several feet away, I can smell the scent of human blood on his breath.

"It is quite amazing how Natasha's looks have stayed in the family; you are almost a mirror image of her. Of course, before she became a vampire, too."

I don't look exactly like her, I don't. I have the color of Papa's eyes; my hair is like an Irishman's.

"What business do you have with me, Count?" Just being around him makes my soul want to climb out of my skin.

"Isn't it obvious? And why call me Count? You have my blood flowing through your veins; I'm more like your great-grandfather several times over." I will never be a relative of his; he murdered Natasha's family, and I blame him for the way Aurora turned out. He is the devil, the real Count Dracula died years ago.

He is now circling around me like a hawk, his gaze is like wildfire.

"I won't say it again, what business do you have with me," I pause from a sudden weakness; I must be getting closer to death, "Dracula?"

"That's more like it, my love. You see, I sensed you ran into a problem at a Parisian masquerade ball."

I can't believe it; I'm back at the ball. I'm dancing with Rodney again; the music is exactly the same as when…

"And that you ran into a certain misfortune with a fellow immortal called Dorian Gray." He's in the form of Dorian; he forces me to dance with him. His grip is too strong, I can't get away.

"Stop it," I finally scream. It brings back to many pains; Dracula has made my own mind a prison. He changes back to his usual self, but still forces me to dance with him.

"Sorry to cause you more distress, but the dream world gives me powers that I only wish I could bring to the real world." This time he changes to Rodney; I run away but slip in a giant pool of blood. I hear him laughing over my shoulder.

"I already told you, my love, we're in the dream world. It's funny, you know, about you humans having such fear and distress over something that isn't even real." While saying this, he pulls me up by the hair and takes a look at my neck. I know what he wants, but he getting it would mean death.

"Get to the point, Dracula," I snap in all the confidence I can gather, "It isn't like I have all eternity.

"Natasha and I could have had it all, but then her brother took it away." He bites my shoulder, I scream and get away. I find a corner; I huddle there as if I am a child again.

"Alejandra, I am willing to make a bargain with you, my dear. Though, resisting me may make me change my mind abruptly." My shoulder is throbbing, blood oozes down my gown. I try to ignore the pain, for this is only a dream.

"You are dying a very painful death, so painful, that I feel it all physically. The end is creeping closer, then purgatory."

"You cursed my family, what the fuck else do you expect." I'm screaming, this is his entire fault.

"That is why I am giving you a choice, my dear. Let me take you away to the next world, and not only will your death be painless, but you will also, unlike your family, see and enter the gates of St. Peters." I can't die, I won't leave Rodney. I won't go till the rest of my family does.

"Never." He sighs, as if he knew what I was going to say.

"Very well, though you have no idea on how much you are missing." There was another choice, what is the other choice?

"The other choice is well, less desirable. You will go back cured from your condition. Your kiss and warmth shall no longer murder, yet poisons will still not affect you." I could finally embrace Rodney; maybe I could even marry him.

"But, there is a great downside. Your wounds will still be the same, and being cured will send you farther down the path of death. Also, I must not forget, the purgatory curse shall still curse you till the day you day, which could possibly be very soon." He is right by me, sweeping my hair from my neck.

"How is Rodney?" If he is dead, dying would alone let me see him sooner.

"It's hard to tell, and trust me, things are about to get much worse for your lover." I feel his fangs growing; his head rests upon my neck.

"Someday, Dracula, I shall kill you and my family will finally see Christ's promises of heaven." I think he smiles; I feel him penetrate the skin on my neck.

* * *

Skinner woke up to full consciousness, Sawyer was right by him. The morning sunlight gleamed through the Nautilus' many windows. His wounds had healed; it was too good to be true.

"Gave a scare for a while, thought you might croak." Sawyer was cheerful, too cheerful. Something seemed not right to Skinner.

"How's Alex?" He needed to know, he couldn't wait any longer.

"Dead as a door knob I'm afraid." Sawyer smiled as he said this, a smile that almost seemed demonic.

"Mina said she was o.k." Skinner tried to leave the bed, but an invisible force kept him there."

"What does Mina know, don't you trust me?" Sudden pains made Skinner clutch his stomach, along with the feeling that his head was on fire.

"Oh, Jekyll said to keep it easy for a while, meaning you can't leave the bed for awhile."

"What the fuck is going on?" Skinner screamed. He tried to leave again, but he felt a bullet go through his torso.

"Are you alright, Skinner?" Skinner's vision went blurry; the world seemed to turn upside down. He finally collapsed on the floor; Alejandra's screaming was the only thing he heard.

* * *

**Please review. I f you have any ideas for the sequel, tell me! It's too late tonight, so I'll post the disclaimer tomorrow.**


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